The Vickers-Berthier was the contribution that Vickers made to the search for a light machine gun. It began development when Vickers Limited purchased the design of the French Berthier in the early 1920s. The search for something that was air-cooled and with a quick-change barrel was the competition that the Bren LMG eventually won, in replacing the Lewis in British Service. This followed a series of evaluation trials in 1934.
Despite the British Army, deciding to use the Bren as its Light Machine Gun, the Indian Army chose to adopt the Vickers-Berthier. This succesful adoption actually resulted in the Mk. III being produced in India at the Ishapore Factory.
